Paper cutting and folding machine



1932. F. s. VAN VOORHIS PAPER CUTTING AND FOLDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed D66. 22, 1930 TredS .Van Voorhis.

ATTORN EY Feb. 16, 1932. F. s. VAN voonms 1,345,395

PAPER cuwwme AND Fonmmmcnrm Filed Dec. 22, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Fred 5. Van" Vac/his.

BY m WTTORNEY Feb; 16, 1932. 5 VAN voo ms 1,845,895

PAPER CUTTING AND FOLDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 22. 1930 4 SheetsSheet 3 INVENTOR fiver] 516m Vborhis. 74 BY W i ATTORNEY Feb. 16, 1932. F. s. VAN VOQRHIS PAPER CUTTING AND FOLDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 22. 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 5 mw mm 5 mu m J Wm m m m m m E Z Patented Feb. 16, 1932 um'rna STATES FEEDS: VAN VOORHIS, OF SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK PMEB CUTTING AND FOLDING MACHINE Application. fled necember 22,1980. Serial No. 504,030.

This inventionrelates to paper cutting and folding machines and more particularly to such. machines ofthe classadapted for use in the cuttin ,andfolding. of paper napkins,

towels. .andll ke goods of crepe paper.

In the manufacture of crape papernapkins and the like attempts have heretofore been madeto avoid undue distortion or. stretching of the paper by the employment of apparatus intended to convey and handle the crape paper without tension.

As is-well known iutheart, crape paper of this. character. permanently. loses its crape when subjected to excessive tension in a direction longitudinal-of the strip or web but it is characterist-ic of this type of paper that it willaresist a-very considerable pull or tension in a transverse direction without any harmfuliefiect.

One object ofthe present invention is to provide an improved machine in which the crane paper is-efi'ectively conveyedunder tension without permanently distorting the same or destroying the crapc thereof. as Another object ofithis inventionis to provide means whereby the paper While being coin 'eyeiil through the machine is kept under tension ina direction transverse of the strip or web.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an improved machine comprising series of conveyingbelts adapted to convey the paper while. subjecting. same to tension in directions longitudinal. and transverse of the strip on Well.

With these and other objects in'view the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and. operation of the machine hereinafter deseribml illustrated in the accompanying: drawings and particularly pointed 'outrin the appended claims, it being understoodthat variouschanges in the form and arrangement and in minor. details may he made without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Inthedrawings: Fig, 1 is a vertical section of the machine: Fig. Qis ahorizontal section taken on the line 2-2Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line l4 Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a horizontal secQ tion taken on the line 5-5 Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view at the point where the stripof paper is cut into lengths; Fig. 7. is a sectional detail view showing certain of. the belts for conveyino the paper; Fig. 8 is a detail sectional View showing the adjustable. mechanismfor the spindle of the paper roll; Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 99 Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a view showing a por tion of the strip of'paper as it asses from the roll; Fig. 11 shows part 0 the paper. strip folded longitudinall and cut into lengths and Fig. 12 shows t e longitudinally foldedipiece after being folded into four to form the complete napkin.

It will be readily understood that machines made in accordance will-thisinvention may be readily adapted for thecutting and folding of crape paper napkins, towels, and other like goods with folds of any suitable or desired form and the machine shown by way of illustration on example on the accompanying drawings is designed for the folding andcutting of'the napkins as illustrated at Figs. 10, Hand 12 Where the strip or Web 10 is folded longitudinally along the line 11. in the well known manner, is then cut into lengths along the lines 12 and thenfolded along the lines 13 to form the napkin or the like.

The machine illustratedon the drawings is constructed with side frames 14:, 15 between which the paper conveying means are accommodated. Projecting outwardly from the frame 15 are two similar brackets 16 (F ig. 3) which carrythe spindle 17 ofthe paper roll l8'and are fitted withthc adjustingmechanism hereinafter described. The paper strip 10 from the said roll 18 passes over a guide roll 19 rotatably mountedbetween brackets 20on the frame 15, which brackets 20 also carry a former or folder 21 ofthe well known type by means of which the paper strip 10 isfolded centrally in a longitudinal direction. From the folder 21 the folded strip is passed around a freely rotatable guide roll 22 and over the surface of a positively driven roll 23 and between the latter, and a cooperating. roll 24 which latter is also driven and same taut in a transverse direction.

at the same surface speed as the roll 23. The rolls 23 and 24 are both grooved circumferentially for the accommodation of a plurality of endless paper-conveying belts 25, 26. In the example shown four such belts are mounted on each roll. Between the belt grooves in the periphery thereof the roll 23 is covered with emery or like material while the cooperating roll 2st is covered between its circumferential grooves with a lay-er of felt so as to ensure proper uniform and reliable conveyance of the papergripped between these surfaces.

T he belts also pass around grooved pulleys 27 on a shaft 281 while the belts 26 also pass around similar pulleys 29 on a shaft 30 and the adjacent strands of the belts 25, 26 co verge towards each other in a downwardly direction and are arranged in staggered relation and close contact so that the paper passing between such belts is put under ten-- sion in a lateral direction.

Mounted between the inner faces of the side frames 14:, 15 is a stationary but adjust able knife 31' adapted to cooperate with a rotary knife-blade 32 to cut the paper into lengths at 12. Screw adjusting means 31' are provided whereby the knife 31 may be adjusted in relation to the path of the rotary knife 32, which latter is shownin dotted lines (Fig. 1) in the; cutting position. Mounted beneath the fixed knife 31 is a shaft 33 carrying a pair (or other suitable number) of grooved pulleys 3d for the accommodation of endless belts 35 which also pass around similar pulleys on a shaft 37 and around pulleys 38 on a shaft 39. The vertical strands of the belt 35 between the pulleys 34 and 36 cooperate with similar belts 10 which pass around grooved pulleys 41 on a shaft 42, grooved pull ys as on a shaft 44c and grooved guide pulleys 45 on a shaft 46 and the cooperating portions of the belts 35, 40 are arranged in staggered relation to each other and in such manner that the adjacent sides of the belt grip'the paper and hold The lower strands of the belts 35 similarly cooperate with belts 17 that pass around grooved pulleys a8 on a shaft ll) and grooved pulleys 50 on a shaft 51 and the cooperation of the adjacent portions of the belts 35, 1'? is shown on an enlarged scale at Fig. 7.

As the paper strip is conveyed downwardlv from the belts 25, 26 it is received between and is positively conveyed by the belts 35, 10 and a guide plate 52 is adapted to guard against the improper entry of the lower end of the paper strip between the belts 35, 47. The lower portion of the belt 40 cooperates with a guide plate 53 whose upper extremity is curved 53 to facilitate entry of the folded paper between the belts 35, 4:7 in the manner hereinafter described.

Adapted to reciprocate between suitable guides 54 on the side frames is a folding blade 55 recessed at 56 (Fig. 5) for the accomma dation of the belts 40 and adapted to fold the paper and introduce the folded edge 13 between the cooperating belts 35, 47 in the well known manner; and as the folded edge timed relation to the paper cutting knife 32 in such manner that the leading edge of the blade 55 engages the paper at the same instant as the knife severs the same or preferably 'at a short predetermined time interval aftersuch severance of the paper.

Also in proper timed relation to the operationof the machine a vertically'reciprocating' plunger 58. moves between guides 59, passes between the belts 35, 47 and forces the napkin from between such belts and delivers the napkins individually to the stack accumulated in the magazine 60 from which the folded napkins may be conveniently removed through aside opening or in any other suitable or well known'manner. The plunger58is operated by a connectingr'od6l and a crank 62 and is so timed that it engages each napkin when the latter'i's exactly above the magazine 60. The paper cutting device 31, 32 is equipped with a doctor comprising a cross-bar 81 extending between the side frames of the machine andcarrying an inclined depending blade 82 recessed at 83 (see'Fig. 6) so asto accommodate the belts 25 and the pulleys 27 and to form flexible intervening fingers 84 which normally extend into the path of the knife 32 but are sufficiently light and resilient to be easily flexed aside by the rotating knife and after the said knife passes out of engagement with the fixed knife 31 the fingers 8-1 throw the depending edge of the paper out of contact with the fixed knife 31 thereby insuring against adherence of the paper edge to the fixed knife with consequent bulging of the paper as it is fed downwards from the belts 25, 26. V

To permit the necessary adjustment for the proper delivery ofthe paper strip 10, to the former 21, the brackets 16 are each provided (Figs. 8 and 9) with a housing 85 receiving the end of the spindle 17 of the paper roll 18, this housing 85 being mounted in a slide 86 having screw means 87 whereby each end of the spindle 17 may be adjusted horizontally in a direction substantially perpendicular to its axis and each slide 86 is supported upon a wedge device 88 having screw-adjusting means 89 whereby each end of the spindle 17 may be independently adj usted in a vertical direction, and it will be same surface speed.

1-, season readily understood that b the use of these adjustments the paper r01 18 maybe conveniently arranged so as to feed the strip or web of paper in proper alignment to insure Ii the accurate folding of the strip or web by the folder 21. Mounted in each housin 85 above the spindle 17, is a friction bloc 90 of hard wood or other convenient material provided with a set screw 91 for the regula- 10 tion of the pressure of said block upon the surface of the spindle 17 so that a regulated braking effect may be provided to insure a steady uniform delivery of thepaper from the roll18. It has been discovered that crape paper of the character above referred to can be pulled from its roll under considerable tension so long as such tension remains evenly distributed throughout the entire width of the web or strip and is applied with complete uniformity.

Between the roll 18 and the rollers 23, 24 the paper is kept under uniform tension without distorting the paper, and the mechanical drive is preferably such that the surface speed of the belt 35, 40, 47 is slightly greater than the surface speed of the rollers 23, 24 and belts 25, 26 so that the desired tension is ensured.

For the operation of the various parts of the machine the main knife-carrying shaft (it operates the knife 31 and is driven by means of a belt pulley 64 (Fig. 4) or otherwise. Secured on the said shaft 63 is a gear wheel 65 which meshes with and drives a simi- 5 lar wheel 66 keyed on the shaft 67of the roller 23 while a second gear wheel 68 on the said shaft 67 meshes with and drives a similar wheel 69 keyed on the shaft 70 of the roller 24. The main shaft 63 also carries a gear wheel 71 which meshes with and drives a pinion 72 on the shaft 33 so that movement is imparted to the belts 35 whose pulleys 34 are secured upon said shaft 33. A second pinion 73 on the shaft 33 meshes with and drives a a pinion 74 on the shaft 42 so that motion is transmitted to the belts 40 whose pulleys 41 are secured upon said shaft 42. A sprocket chain 75 engages sprocket wheels keyed on the shafts 37, 42 and 51 and also engages a suitably mounted idle sprocket 76 so that motion is transmitted from the shaft 42 to the shafts 37 and 51 with the result that the belts 35, 47 and 40 are all simultaneously operated at the The wheel 71 and the pinion 72 are preferably of such a ratio thatas above referred tothe surface speed of the belts 35, 40 and 47 is slightly greater than that of the belts 25, 26. The main shaft 63 is also provided with sprocket gear 77 by means of which its motion is transmitted to a shaft 78 carrying the crank 57 for the operation of the folding blade 55; and also operated from said shaft 63 is a sprocket gear 79 for the operation of a shaft 80.,carrying the crank 62 for the operation of the plunger 58 for the delivery of the completed-napkins.

The endless belts 25, 26, 35, 40 and 47 are preferably made of leather of round crosssection and are alladapted to engage in corre' spondingly shaped grooves in the rollers and pulleys so thatthey are prevented from shifting in an axial direction. The grooved pulleys 27, 29, 34, 36, 38, 41, 43 and 45 are all capable of being shifted in an axial direction upon their shafts and. may be clamped thereon so that the belts may be set to suit the handling of paper of varying widths and the belts may also be readily adjusted in an axial direction to vary the side pressure between the engaging faces of the belts as most clearly shown at Fig. 7.

Although the drawings. and the above specification disclose the best mode in. which I have contemplated embodying my invention, I desire to bein no way limited to the details of such disclosure for in the further practical application of my invention many changes in form and construction may be made, as circumstances require or experience suggests, without departing from the spirit of the in.- vention within the scope of the appended claims, and it will be understood that the arrangement and combination of the cutting, folding, and paper-conveying elements may be modified to suit the nature of the work being handled and the mechanism may be adapted for the production of goods of various sizes and for the manipulation of the paper to form any suitable or well known folds or combinations of folds.

What I claim is 1. A machine forfolding and cutting crape paper of the character described comprising paper conveying means whereby a strip of paper is subjected to tension in a transverse and longitudinal direction, means for cutting the paper while held taut longitudinally and transversely and means for folding the paper while under tension.

2. A crape paper folding and cutting machine of the character described comprising conveying rolls for a strip of paper, transversely spaced endless belts for feeding the strip of paper under tension from said rolls, means for cutting the paper while held under such tension and means for folding the paper.

3. A machine for cutting and folding paper of the character described comprising endless belts for conveying a paper strip and for subjecting the paper to tension in a transverse direction, means for cutting the paper into lengths while under tension, and means for folding and delivering the lengths of paper.

4. A paper cutting and folding machine of the character described comprising means for feeding a strip of crape paper under longitudinal and transverse tension, means for folding the strip longitudinally, means for cutting the strip into lengths while under from the conveying means. v

6. A machinefor folding and cutting crape paper of the character described comprising paper conveying means whereby a strip of paper is subjected to tension in a transverse and longitudinal direction, means for folding the paper strip longitudinally, means for cutting the paper into lengths while held taut longitudinally and transversely and means for folding the lengths of paper While under 1 tension. I

7. A crape paper folding-and cutting machine of the character described comprising friction conveying rolls for a strip of paper,

transversely spaced endless belts on said rolls for feeding the strip of paperunder tension, means for cutting the paper into lengths .While held under such tension and means for folding the lengths of paper under tension.

8. A machine for cutting and folding pa per of the character described comprising a series of staggered endless belts for subjecting the paper to tension in a transverse direction, means for cutting the paper While under such tension, and means for folding the paper under tension.

9. A machine for cutting and folding paper of the character described comprising means for folding a strip of paper longitudinally, pressure means for pulling thestrip of paper over said folding means under uniform tension, a cutting knife in advanceof such conveying means and means located in advance of the knife for feeding the paper strip under tension in a transverse and longitudinal direction. V

10. A machine for cutting and folding paper of the character described comprising means for feeding apaper strip under tension, a cutting knife in advance of said means, staggered endless belts for feeding the paper under tension-in advance of said knife, and means for folding the paper while under tension.

11. A machine for cutting and folding paper of the character described comprising means for folding a strip of paper longitudinally, pressure means for pulling the strip of paper over said folding means under uniform tension, a cutting knife in advance of such conveying means and endless belts located in advance of the knife and arranged in staggered relation to each other for feeding the paper strip under tension in a transverse direction. a v V 12. A machine for cutting and folding paper of the character described comprising means for feeding a strip of paper under I tension, a rotary knife in advance of said means for cutting the strip into lengths, paper receiving and feeding means in advance of said knife, and foldingrand conveying means for the length of paper comprising belts for conveying the folded paper under transverse tension, and a folding blade for the introduction of the paper between said belts,

13. A crape paper handling machine of the character described comprising apair of cooperating rolls, for drawing astrip of paper from a supply roll under uniform tension, means for adjusting the supply roll to ensure uniform tension, means between said cooperating rolls and the supply rollfor longitudinally folding the paper, endless belts mounted on andextending in advance of the said c0- operating rolls for conveying the paper, feed means for receiving the paper from said belts and a rotary knife between the said feed operating rolls for pulling a strip of paper from a supply roll under tension, a set ofconverging endless belts for feeding the paper in advance of said cooperating rolls, a set of overlapping endless belts for feeding the paper, cutting means located between the said sets of belts for separating the paper into lengths and a folding member for engaging each length of paper and forcing same in a irection perpendicular to its former direction of travel. 7

' 15. A crape paper handling machine of the character described comprising means for pulling a strip of paper under tension from a supply roll, means for cutting the paper into lengths while under tension, overlapping endless belts for conveying the lengths of paper, and a folding blade for folding the lengths of paper and for introducing same between the said overlapping belts.

16. A crape paper handling machine ofthe character described comprising a pair of cooperating friction rolls, for drawing a strip 17. A crape paper handling machine of the character described comprising a pair of cooperating rolls for pulling a strip of paper under tension from a supply roll, converging endless belts for feeding the paper in advance of said cooperating rolls, overlapping endless belts for feeding the paper, cutting means located between the latter belts and the converging belts for separating the paper into lengths, a folding blade for engaging each length of paper and forcing same in a direct-ion perpendicular to its former direction of travel, and endless belts cooperating with said overlapping endless belts to receive the paper from said folding blade.

18. A crape paper handling machine of the character described comprising a pair of cooperating friction rolls, for drawing a strip of paper from a supply roll under tension, means between said cooperating rolls and the supply roll for longitudinally folding the paper, endless belts mounted on and extending in advance of the said cooperating rolls and converging towards each other for conveying the paper under transverse tension feed means for receiving the paper from said belts, a rotary knife between the feed means and said belts for cutting the strip of paper into lengths, means cooperating with said feed means to form conveying means for the lengths of paper, a folding blade for engag ing and folding the lengths of paper and forcing same into engagement with said conveying means and means for forcing the folded paper parts from engagement with said conveying means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this s ecification.

F ED S. VAN VOORHIS. 

